“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NASB95)

What describes me varies. What describes me differs depending on whom I am with, what I am doing, my role, and my level of energy at any given time. Many terms can and have been used to describe me including:

• Husband
• Father
• Son
• Brother
• Grandson
• Student
• Engineer
• Employee
• Boss
• Consultant
• Manager
• Executive
• Quiet
• Competent
• Master (to dogs)
• Servant (to cats)
• Hero
• Villain
• Bright
• Oblivious
• Nice guy
• Not a nice guy

What defines me does not change; I am defined by my relationship to the unchanging Creator of all. I am:

• A child of the Living God (John 1:12, Eph 1:5)
• Co-heir in Christ (Romans 8:17, Gal 3:29, Eph 1:11)
• Servant of Christ and God (Rom 6:22)
• Saved by God’s grace (Eph 2:8, 18)
• Reconciled to God (Rom 5:10)
• One whose name is written in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev 21:27)
• One imputed with God’s righteousness (Rom 4:6)
• In the fellowship of the Spirit (I John 1:3, Phil 2:1)
• Hearer and Doer of the word of God (James 1:22-23)
• Forgiven (Luke 7:48, I John 2:12)
• Strengthened (Phil 4:13)
• Joined unto the Lord (I Cor 6:17)
• Laborer (I Cor 3:9)
• Peculiar (I Pet 2:9, Titus 2:14)
• God’s workmanship (Eph 2:10)
• In progress (“He hath begun a good work in” me — Phil 1:6, )
• God’s temple (I Cor 3:16)
• Blessed (Eph 1:3)
• Anointed (II Cor 1:21)
• Called (I Peter 2:9, I Cor 1:2)
• Abounding in grace (II Cor 9:8)
• Elect (I Pet 1:2)
• Accepted (Eph 1:6)
• Chosen (Matt 22:14, John 13:18)
• Delivered, rescued (Col 1:12-13)
• Reconciled to God (Rom 5:10)
• Redeemed (Rev 5:9)
• Complete (Col 2:10)
• Bought (I Cor 6:20)
• Ambassador for Christ (II Cor 5:20)
• Created (Genesis 1)
• Sealed (Eph 4:30)
• Friend of God (John 15:15)
• New Creature (II Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15)
• Brother (Ps 35:14, I Thess 3:2)

So, why a blog? Why write in the first place?

I don’t write to blog. I wrote before blogs existed. I like writing. I’ve often written about important events in my life. Writing has long served a very important purpose for my mind. The discipline of writing helps thoughts develop to a point at which further thinking does not produce further development. The mind can work like a rock tumbler or a clothes dryer, tumbling its contents over and over. In the case of a rock tumbler the result is polished rocks, or perhaps in some cases just smaller rocks. In the case of a clothes dryer the result is dry clothes. Thoughts can tumble around the mind for a long time. For the author, writing down thoughts, ideas and observations takes them out of the processing mind and allows them to be set aside. It is not that thoughts meet any hurdles of quality, veracity, accuracy, or applicability. Using the dryer analogy, it is only that the thoughts are sufficiently dry that they can be taken from the dryer. The garment may be old, frayed, or stained, but dry. Buttons may be missing or it may need mending, but the garment is dry. Writing thoughts down can free the mind and spare further tumbling around the mind. The thoughts are still able to progress. They can be set aside, mended, pressed, or put to use.

This takes me to my first reason for blogging. Blogging can be a productive activity even with a totally private blog. Blogging can provide a hurdle and establish a higher standard for an author than a personal journal. Building a blog sets a target for the written product which requires whole thoughts, sound fundamentals, clear logic, acceptable grammar and writing relatively free from typos. In the case of theology, reasoning must be biblically grounded with correct contexts, premises, inferences and conclusions.

The second reason for blogging is perceived need. Once refined, after proper peer review, and if the Spirit leads, this blog may be made public. Error is rampant on the internet today. Sound logic, argument, and truth are often difficult to find. Sadly, cultural weaknesses in this regard are evident even in Christian writing. Fallacious reasoning is epidemic. A need exists, if the thoughts in this blog can contribute toward filling that need, then they will be offered.

No shortage of information exists on the internet. Position papers and advocacy abound on scientific, cultural, philosophical and theological topics. In fact, there is far too much “information” in many respects. Unsupported statements on position, opinion treated as fact, attacks on others, bias, and defensive retorts are normative in our time, even in theological discourse. It can be difficult to find logically sound discussion and truth. The new testament instructs us not to say if we are of “Paul or Apollos or Cephas.” Yet to enter into a theological discussion one must effectively choose a group and a language set skewed towards one paradigm, one camp, or another. God is bigger than any denomination. While on earth Jesus Christ did not trump even His own group of disciples over others (see Mark 9:38-40). Arguments which focus upon differences between individuals are generally tainted theologically. Many discussions about theology in our day focus almost exclusively on human agenda and bias. Such agenda based discourse, while sometimes important, does not encourage ecclesiastic unity. These discussions may even be considered biblical, since such discussions are documented for us in scripture. However, the aim of this site is to consider God as new testament Christians who — though they came from a variety of backgrounds, practices, calling, vocations, education, cultures, widely segregated and without common grounds for communication and understanding — began the work of Christ’s flock in this age of His church on earth. That includes followers of Paul, Apollos and Cephas. Understanding of the infinite Creator is a common goal which should overwhelmingly unite and serve to bring Christians together, particularly as we worship and serve our Savior with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Brethren in Christ, just because our leaders can’t get along doesn’t mean we can’t fellowship in Spirit and truth. We are all sheep of One Shepherd. God is the same today as He was two thousand years ago. This view should not be seen as an attack on today’s shepherds, general or individual. Pastors are called to a very difficult job. Leading sheep is an easier job than leading humans. I suspect that with many groups of people the concept of herding cats is more akin to the dynamic at work. All of the kindergarten teachers I know would agree with this assessment. Pastoring groups of people in today’s culture is a very difficult task. Fortunately, nothing is too difficult with our God. We are directed to and need to pray for our pastors, leaders, and shepherds. If you are a sincere Christian in a fellowship with any group, then don’t be led out of that fellowship by anyone but the Holy Spirit, certainly, not a blog. It is not the intent of this blog to knock any leader or any organization dedicated to the work of God. It is the intent of this blog to seek truth for the Christian walking the pilgrim’s path. The preacher Billy Sunday originally compared a church with an auto garage, a slightly reworded version observes:

Standing in any church does not make one a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes one an automobile.

The third reason for this blog is that I feel led to do so. I make no claim of special revelation from God that adds to His written work. Let me be clear, I have none. Neither do I have special abilities to apply the discipline of logic to issues of the day. I have but little education or training in logic, philosophy or theology. However, my desires are in discovering, exploring, analyzing and communicating God’s love and God’s plan for mankind. I have great desire to better know Him who is the source of love and knowledge. The structure of classical logic and reasoning provides an excellent avenue for a higher level of knowledge of God’s word. But it must be emphasized that heavy lifting in directing one to God’s truth comes from the Holy Spirit, not from any person or system of theology. All glory should be given to God for any truth that He shares with His people. Knowing about God profits man nothing, it is knowing Him that allows the Holy Spirit to indwell and change the heart and mind of man, it is knowing Jesus that secures a man’s salvation.

Flawed logic in our own thinking, in our churches, and in our culture is a topic covered in several early blog posts but warrants further explanation here. Logical argument, the rules of logic, and the history of logical argument before, during and after the time of Christ enables rational discourse on thoughts of God and theology. It makes sense to conduct such discourse utilizing a set of rules of communication to work towards that end. Christ came to earth at an interesting time. Trade routes and the Roman network of roads made taking of the gospel to the world possible as never before. God clearly worked to prepare the way for Christ in the affairs of men. These preparations took place throughout the world, inside and outside His chosen people. God worked in coordinated fashion through nations and men before, during and after the incarnation. Several hundred years before Christ came to earth, major preparations for Christ’s coming were made by Greece’s giants of intellect. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle developed reasoning, thought, argument and logic in a way that allowed man to think and communicate thoughts and concepts as never before. Inspired by the Holy Spirit the Apostles used the well-developed and well honed framework for philosophy, logic and reasoning in their theology and writings. The classic structure of logic was used not only in Christ’s time. Aristotelian logic is still used today in science, philosophy, and nearly all other “-ologies” at universities and centers of thought around the globe (albeit “refined” in some respects). The application of logic is often unused, lacking, or incorrectly applied in today’s culture; but the classical framework has not been replaced with anything better. This includes the universal and eternal truth of scripture, the truth that God brought to earth when He became man, the truth the Holy Spirit brings into the hearts of men and women today. The classical framework of logic is still a useful tool in understanding and communicating truth. This framework provides the structure for discourse on this blog. Logic is not a goal, not a product, not an end, but a means to the end goal. Logic is only the scaffolding, a means to carry out the desired goal which is clearly understood thoughts of finite men about the infinite God.

As you might have gathered if you’ve read this far, brevity is not one of the primary goals for this blog. Proper context, sound reasoning, and clear progression of understanding are goals which come ahead of brevity. Simple truths are best. Concise statements are good. But in today’s environment simple statements are common, but far too often they fail to ring true. This blog’s goal is as much to discuss and demonstrate seeking and obtaining truth as expounding truth. There are many sources available which properly state truth succinctly, even in bullet points or tag lines. The Bible itself well summarizes all truth in its first 4 words — “In the beginning God” — everything that follows could be viewed as application and commentary.

As Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun. Christians today have God’s written word, the inspired word of God. We also have the application and development of theological issues from the likes of:

• 

  Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD)

  Clement of Alexandria

• Augustine
• Francis of Assisi
• Aquinas
• Wycliffe
• Luther
• Knox
• Teresa of Avila
• John of the Cross
• Brother Lawrence
• Edwards
• Wesley
• Whitefield
• Spurgeon
• Barth
• Lewis
• Tozer
• Schaeffer

Finally, the fourth and final reason for blogging then is to provide a contemporary voice of one seeking God. This is attempted through expression of thoughts on God and man, many of which echo truth discovered by, and wisdom given to, our forefathers in the faith. If the Holy Spirit can use these thoughts to point out God’s glory to others, so be it. If not, the focus required to write out these thoughts has at least provided excellent exercise for one of feeble mind and spirit.